Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

State highlights: Blue Shield could lose exclusive contract for Calif. workers, retirees; Texas health commission asks for increase in Medicaid premiums

Blue Shield of California may be losing its longtime grip on one of the health care industry's most coveted insurance contracts. Officials at the California Public Employees' Retirement System are recommending breaking up Blue Shield's current statewide HMO contract and replacing it with as many as four health plans for more than 400,000 public workers and their families (Terhune, 4/11).

12 Apr 2013

More details: Paying for health exchanges, other parts of the health law's implementation

According to the Obama administration's 2014 budget document, the federal government will spend about $4 billion on federal- and state-run marketplaces for individual and small businesses purchasing insurance coverage.

12 Apr 2013

FDA requests budget of $4.7 billion to protect, promote public health

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is requesting a budget of $4.7 billion to protect and promote the public health as part of the President's fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget.

12 Apr 2013

Alzheimer's Association lauds Obama Administration for dedicating additional $100M to fight Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer's Association commends the Obama Administration for dedicating an additional $100 million within the President's FY 2014 budget toward the fight against Alzheimer's and the implementation of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease.

12 Apr 2013

Obama budget would replace SGR formula, boost Medicaid, mental health

Among the changes included in the president's 2014 budget blueprint are the elimination of the SGR formula to set Medicare physician payment rates, and funding boosts for mental health and food and drug safety. The proposal also delays funding cuts to hospitals that treat the uninsured.

12 Apr 2013

First Edition: April 11, 2013

Today's headlines include details regarding how Medicare and Medicaid, as well as funding for the health law's implementation, fared in President Barack Obama's budget plan.

11 Apr 2013

Study reports role of cytochrome c oxidase as prognostic marker in GBM patients' tumor tissues

Researchers may have discovered a more accurate way to predict how long patients with the deadliest form of brain cancer will live, according to an analysis by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

11 Apr 2013

Viewpoints: Obama budget doesn't address 'heart of our debt crisis;' Attention deficit crisis; Insurer sings a different song when consumer owes it money

The U.S. has huge budget challenges. And for the first time in years, we will have three budget proposals to carefully consider -- instead of speeches and talking points.

11 Apr 2013

Roundup: Minn. Democrats push pay hike for nursing home workers; Colo. official warns of possible exchange delays due to IT

A selection of health policy stories from Minnesota, Colorado, New York, Delaware, Georgia, Oregon, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Massachusetts and California.

11 Apr 2013

HHS announces $54M for 'navigators' to help consumers use new insurance marketplaces

The $54 million to hire and train people to help the uninsured sign up for coverage will be distributed to groups in 33 states based on their number of uninsured. Texas and Florida, for instance, with almost nine million uninsured, will get $14 million.

11 Apr 2013

Viewpoints: Looking for the budget's true bottom line; The debate on Plan B reignited; Medicare cuts have impact

President Obama will release his overdue budget on Wednesday. It will doubtless project a reduction in the federal budget deficit - a projection that journalists, commentators and policy makers should ignore.

10 Apr 2013

Sebelius: 'Relentless and continuous' politics complicates health law's implementation

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she underestimated how long politics would dog the health law. Meanwhile, a regional official of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tells The Washington Post what's happening in the field.

10 Apr 2013

Researchers discover new genetic link between rapid growth of healthy fetuses and cancer

Two researchers at the National Institutes of Health discovered a new genetic link between the rapid growth of healthy fetuses and the uncontrolled cell division in cancer.

9 Apr 2013

First Edition: April 9, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about about various elements of the health law and how they are being viewed as implementation rolls ahead.

9 Apr 2013

Diclegis gets FDA approval for treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Diclegis (doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride) to treat pregnant women experiencing nausea and vomiting.

9 Apr 2013

Hospital-based quality improvement programs reduce early elective deliveries of babies

A study published today in Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that multistate, hospital-based quality improvement programs can be remarkably effective at reducing early elective deliveries of babies.

9 Apr 2013

Health exchange development, enrollment issues trigger concerns

Politico and Kaiser Health News provide progress reports related to the development of the health law's new online insurance marketplaces.

9 Apr 2013

Obama budget will propose changes to Medicare in exchange for tax increases

Previews of President Barack Obama's budget proposal, which is expected to be released next week, indicate that he will signal a willingness to compromise with Republicans by including trims to Medicare. The blueprint, though, reportedly will not make major dents in Medicaid.

7 Apr 2013

Updated guidelines for metabolic and bariatric surgery

Significant new scientific evidence published over the last four years has prompted three major medical societies to change its guidance on who should get metabolic and bariatric surgery and which methods should be used.

6 Apr 2013

NAIC offers states options to 'mitigate' the premium increases that are expected when the health law takes effect

State regulators are looking for ways to protect consumers against increases in health insurance rates that they expect to occur next year as major provisions of the new health care law take effect.

6 Apr 2013

Health and Human Services News and Research

State highlights: Blue Shield could lose exclusive contract for Calif. workers, retirees; Texas health commission asks for increase in Medicaid premiums

More details: Paying for health exchanges, other parts of the health law's implementation

FDA requests budget of $4.7 billion to protect, promote public health

Alzheimer's Association lauds Obama Administration for dedicating additional $100M to fight Alzheimer's

Obama budget would replace SGR formula, boost Medicaid, mental health

First Edition: April 11, 2013

Study reports role of cytochrome c oxidase as prognostic marker in GBM patients' tumor tissues

Viewpoints: Obama budget doesn't address 'heart of our debt crisis;' Attention deficit crisis; Insurer sings a different song when consumer owes it money

Roundup: Minn. Democrats push pay hike for nursing home workers; Colo. official warns of possible exchange delays due to IT

HHS announces $54M for 'navigators' to help consumers use new insurance marketplaces

Viewpoints: Looking for the budget's true bottom line; The debate on Plan B reignited; Medicare cuts have impact

Sebelius: 'Relentless and continuous' politics complicates health law's implementation

Researchers discover new genetic link between rapid growth of healthy fetuses and cancer

First Edition: April 9, 2013

Diclegis gets FDA approval for treatment of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy

Hospital-based quality improvement programs reduce early elective deliveries of babies

Health exchange development, enrollment issues trigger concerns

Obama budget will propose changes to Medicare in exchange for tax increases

Updated guidelines for metabolic and bariatric surgery

NAIC offers states options to 'mitigate' the premium increases that are expected when the health law takes effect

Event guide: 6th Operationalize Expanded Access Programs Summit East eBook

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Latest News